Drug to wash off bad memories

London, February 16: Bad memories can take a toll on a healthy and peaceful future. While it’s always advised to dump them and move on… it’s easier said than done! In aid, a team of Dutch researchers have developed a pill that they claim would help erase painful memories.

The drug – beta-adrenergic receptor blockers – is commonly prescribed to correct high blood pressure, the researchers revealed.

For the study, the researchers zeroed in on 60 men and women. Showing slides of spiders alongside administering gentle electric shocks, the team created fearful memories in volunteers.

The images noticeably created a strong negative association between spiders and discomfort. The next day the volunteers were randomly split into two groups. While one group was put on the active drug, others received placebo drugs.

The spider slide show was telecasted again.

The researchers recorded the level of fear the volunteers experienced. While a strong startle response meant they were in a fearful state, a mild response was adjudged as calm.

As presumed, the group which received the active drug –beta receptor blocker - had a much weaker fear response than those in the placebo group. The researchers believe the drug 'can interfere with how the brain makes and remakes memories of frightening events'.

Moving on with the study, a few days on - once the drug was completely excreted out of the systems - the fear response was tested again following the same procedure.

Volunteers in the active drug group showed fewer signs of spider phobia, telltale of a spotless mind.

"Millions of people suffer from emotional disorders and the relapse of fear, even after successful treatment" Professor Merel Kindt, study’s lead researcher noted. "Our findings may have important implications for the understanding and treatment of persistent and self-perpetuating memories in individuals suffering from emotional disorders."

But critics argue it’s not all that easy. Dr. Daniel Sokol, lecturer at the St George’s University of London warned, "Removing bad memories is not like removing a wart or a mole. It will change our personal identity since who we are, is linked to our memories."

"It may perhaps be beneficial in some cases, but before eradicating memories, we must reflect on the knock-on effects that this will have on individuals, society and our sense of humanity", he added.

The results of the study feature in the current issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience.